Construction of railroad-cars



(NoModelJ' H I 48heetS-Sheet 1.

J. P. MAHERJ CONSTRUCTION OF RAILROAD CARS.

No. 546,544. Patented Sept. 17, 1895'.

1 I 4 Shets-Sheet 2.

JyP. HER. CONSTRUCTION A ILEOAD CARS. I No. 545,544. Patented Sept. 17,1895.

.30 gig.

" (No Model.)

.ZZ L J8 1 WITNESSES: 70

(No' Mo el.) 4 4114444 411484 3.

'J. P. MIHEUER. CONSTRUCTION OF RAILROAD CARS. I

4 t e e h S m e e h S 4 R .E H VA M R J (No Model.)

- CONSTRUCTION OF RAILROAD CARS. No. 546,544.

Patented Sept. 17, 18 95.

- I j R N munm uwavro A EW 5 GRANAMJNUTOUTHQWASKINFION.RC

tartan Tam;

MET urine.

JOHN P. MAI-IER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

CONSTRUCTIONVOF RAILROAD-CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 546,544, dated September 17, 1895.

Application filed December 4, 1894:. Renewed August 21, 1895- Serial No. 560,061. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN P. MAHER, a citizen of the United States,'and a resident of the city of Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new'and useful Improvements in the Construction of Railroad-Cars, of which the following is a specification.

The improvements herein are directed to the construction of railway-cars in'particulars which permit of repairs and the renewal of partsin case of wreckage, and especially in refrigerator cars, which are very expensive to repair,'because of their insulated compartmerits. The repairing of cars often requires the renewal of the base structure and framing of thebody, and facilities by which such repairs may be effected without-tearing the body or base structure apart are important considerations in the cost of maintaining the service of the' car.

My improvements render the repairing of the car at greatly-reduced cost possible, because they avoid thenecessity for the tearing of the body apart or its roof or its base structure and facilitate their renewal and the repair of the compartments, and thereby the car is kept'in' firm andstrong condition.

My improvements also render the car better able to resist destruction in case of collisions or other accidents. 1

My improvements provide for taking up looseness of the framing which results from a general shrinkage of the timbers, and thus prevent racking of the car-body. They provide for the separation of the body'from the base structure and the removal and replacement of the-posts and interior parts Without a general pulling to pieces of the car or destroying the sound parts of the car.

. My improvements are applicable to the construction of freight-cars in the joining and securing of the frame structures, whereby increased durability and greater strength are obtained and the car rendered not so liable to complete Wreckage from collision. Moreover, the outside beams of the base structure are liable torot from moisture getting in back of the siding and from the general loosening of the braces, so that from this cause the car is often rendered unserviceable, and this is prevented by my improvements. 4

its base structure.

My present improvements provide for greater efficiency of construction, better results in service and in durability, and in the attainment of greater economy than is possi ble with the cars now in general use.

The accompanying drawings illustrate a structure embodying my improvements, and in the claims concluding this specification I will specifically point out the parts and combinations of parts which constitute my in vention.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 shows in vertical longitudinal elevation a portion of the side framing of a car-body and its sill timbers constructed inaccordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a top view of the base dovetail socket-casting for the post anddi'agonal braces, showing the removable face-plate of the post-socket. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line m a: of Fig. 1, showing the separate socket-castings by which the post,

the tension-rod, and the brace are secured'together and to the roof-plates. Fig. 4. is a vertical transverse section of the car-body and Fig. 5 shows the outer side of the top separate socket-castings and their connection with the post, the brace, the tension-rod, and the roof-plate; and Fig. 6 is a vertical section of the same on the line y y of Fig. 5, showing the dovetail face-plate by.

which the post is secured sidewise in the socket. Fig. 7 is a vertical longitudinal section of a portion of the car-body, showing the inner side of the wall-casing and the uncovered tension devices. Fig. 8 shows in side View,

one of the base dovetail socket-castings for the post and diagonal braces and the removable face-plate for the post-socket. Fig. 9 is a'top view of the socket-casting for the corner post and the diagonal brace. Fig. 10 shows in plan view a portion of the supplemental base-frame,which contains the sock et-castings and which is pinned to the base structure; and Figs. 11 and 12 show the corner castings,which serve as roof-bumpers. v

My improvements do not require any departure from the general plan of construction of cars now in use as to the frame structures of the body and its base-sills, but my said improvements are combined in the car structure in a way that affords facility for repairs and for the removal and replacement of parts loo which have become shattered from any cause or weakened from rot, and thereby increase the strength and maintain the service of the car beyond its usual life.

For the purpose of informing those skilled in the art of the nature of my invention I have in the accompanying drawings shown so much of arailroad-ear as involves the same, and which, read in connection with the following description, will enable persons skilled in the art to make and use the car; but it will be understood that my invention is not limited in precise details to the construction shown.

Referring to the drawings, the base structure of the ear-body is constructed in the usual manner of side sills 1 1, joined by end sills 2,and intermediatelongitudinal timbers 8. The body has the usual framing construction for the walls and roof, and of which 4 represents the corner posts, 5 represents the intermediate wall-posts, 6 represents the roofplates, 7 is the roof-ridge plate, 8 is the inner wall-casing,9 represents the diagonal braces, and 10 represents the bolts for the tension device, and which connect the roof-plates and base-sills.

The flooring 40 of the ear,instead of being nailed to the base structure, as usual, is, in my improved construction, secured upon a separate and distinct frame structure 11, placed and secured upon the base-timbers 1, 2, and 3. Itis upon this supplemental frame that the body of the car is directly secured, and by it to the base-timbers in a way that permits the separation of the body from the supplemental frame and the latter from the basetimbers for the purpose of repairing the car when required. This supplemental frame is the exact counterpart of the base structure, and consists of side stringers 1], placed upon the base side beams 1, intermediate stringers 12, placed upon the intermediate base-timbers 3, and endjoiningtimbers 13, placed upon the end base-timbers. Thesideand'intermediate stringers of'the supplemental frame are tenoned and secured to the end timbers 13 by trenails, as seen in Fig. 10, making a strong and stiff frame. At suitable points I provide this supplemental frame with dowel-pins 14, which engage, by corresponding holes, with the timbers 3 of the base-frame, whereby the top-frame is firmly anchored against horizontal or lateral displacement. I secure the supplemental frame to the body-posts by means of socket-castings and bolts, and I secure the body structure to the base structure by means of bolts, so that these parts maybe separated from each other when required for repairs, as I will now describe.

The socket-castings 16, which secure the corner posts 4, are formed like a carpenters square, as seen in Fig. 9, and the post is tenoned in the socket 17 and secured by a jointbolt 18, Fig. 4, which passes through the sup plemental frame and eastin gs and is fastened by a nut 19, mortised in the post. At each end this corner casting is secured to the supplemental frame by a nutted bolt 20, as seen in Figs. 1, 4, and 10. These socket-castings also serve to seat the corner braces and confine their lower ends, and through these castings and through the base-timbers the corner tension-bolts 10 pass by the side of the posts. (See Fig.1.) The castings 22, which secure the intermediate posts to the supplemental frame, are each secured thereto by a bolt 23, passing through one end of said casting and nutted on the under side of said frame. The other end of said casting is secured to both frames by a bolt 24, passing through them and nutted on the under side of the base-frame, as seen in Fig. 1.

In Figs. 2 and 8 I have shown, in side and top views, one of the supplemental frame-eastings 22,adapted to receive the post and abutting braces on each side. These several socketcastings are also secured to the supplemental frame by dowel-pins 26, Figs. 4 and 8, which serve to reinforce the bolt and render the two frames and their socket-castings practically a solid structure. At their upper ends the posts are secured to the roof-plates by similar socket-castings 27, and in Figs. 3, 5, and G I have shown such top castings in side and in sectional views. These castings are specially adapted to permit of the removal and replacement of the posts without separating the body from the base structure, as I will now describe.

All the posts are tenoned in the sockets of their respective castings, and the upper castings I prefer to seat in recesses or gains on the under side of the roof-plates and secure them by nails, as seen in Figs. 1, 4, and 7. For the intermediate posts the lower castings are shown as formed with dovetail sockets to receive the dovetail tenons of the posts, as seen in Figs. 1, 4, and 8, while at their upper ends the tenons of the posts are shown as not made dovetail, as in Figs. 1 and 5. Each of these castings is constructed with a removable face-plate 28, which covers an open side of the socket and is secured in place by dovetail, as seen in Figs. 2 and 3. These removable face-plates are on that side of the castings which are on the outer side of the car, so that they can be conveniently removed when it is desired from any cause to take out and replace one or more of the posts. It is obvious that both ends of the posts may be dovetailed in their castings or may not be dovetailed, the important matter being to permit of the removal of the posts sidewise from their sockets by the provision of the removable face-plates to open the side of the socket, while the plate when in place forms a fixed side of the socket. I prefer to dovetail the posts in their base-sockets only, and secure them by joint-bolts 25, passing through the supplemental frame and nutted in the tenon of said post, as in Fig. 8. The upper-post tenons are perfectly square in their socketcastings, as shown in Fig. 5. In erecting the body the posts are fitted sidewiseinto their sockets and secured by the cap-plates 28, while the cap-sockets 27 not being dovetailed, the posts are fitted endwise therein and fastened by wood-screws 29, as in Fig. 6. The face-plates of the lower sockets require no fastening-screws, as they rest upon the top timbers 11 and are thereby held in place.

Tension-rods 10 are secured to the base structure and nutted at 30 in the top plate, the said rods passing through the upper and lower castings, as seen in Figs. 1, 4, and 5, so that the binding and supporting action of these bolts will be exerted upon the roofplates and base structure and serve, by their connection with the braces, to take up any looseness in the framing which may be caused by the shrinkage of the timbers, and thus prevent the racking of the ear-body. For this purpose I provide a socket-casting 31, fitted on the top of each brace, and through an opening 39 in this casting the tension-bolt 10 passes between the brace and the post. I prefer to enlarge the upper part ofthis bolt and screw-thread it below the roof-plate. to give it sufficient strength to resist the strain put upon it when driving a nut 32 thereon down on the top of the brace-casting 31 to render the bracing firm in taking up looseness. This tightening-nut 32 is just below the roof-plate 6, and while the tension-rods bind the body and base structure together vertically the action of the nuts upon the diagonalbraces serves to bind the body-framing lengthwise of the car and to take up any looseness which may occur from time to time. As this action forces the brace-cas ting 31 against the post 5, I form the post-casting 27 with a depending plate 33,.countersunk in the side of the post next to the brace-cap, (see Fig. 5,) so that the two castings 27 and 31 willjoin or abut. At this joining the brace-casting 31 has a vertical tongue or rib 34, Figs. 3 and 5, which engages a groove 35 in the post-casting 27, and thereby secures the two castings together laterally, and consequently the brace to the post, while permitting the brace-casting 31 to have such vertical movement as may be given to it under the tightening-nut. The connection of the tension-rods with the top and the bottom post castings and with the bracecap casting, and the connection of the bracecap casting with the top-post casting, greatly increases the strength and durability of the car to resist racking and wrecking. The metal brace-cap 31, abutting against the depending plate 33 of the post-casting, is especially important in giving increased firmness to the body-f ramin g and preventing wear and looseness. The provision whereby the top and bottom sockets of the post-castings can be uncovered to allowthe posts to be taken out of the framing without removing said castings is important for the repair of the car without taking it to pieces. Theconnection of the supplemental frame by dowel-pins with the base structure throughouttheir joining surfaces serves to reinforce the bolts which fasten the frames and particularly renders these frames a single structure of great strength.

Referring to Fig. 7, it is seen that the tension devices are exposed for access to adjust them as may be found necessary, and it will be understood that these tension devices are used with the-diagonal braces at the-sides and at the ends of the body, and that the point of adjustment for each tension device is just under the roof-plates and upon the upper ends of the diagonal braces. By this construction the tension-rods connect both castings and serve to secure the socket-castings 31 upon the upper ends of the braces and against the posts, so that in driving down these castings they move upon the tensionrod against the post-castings 27, making a very firm and secure connection of the roofplates, posts, and braces with each other and with the base-sills. It will be understood that the side boarding and the lining-boards of the car are nailed to the posts and not to the braces, and that the latter are seated in their castings for independent adjustment to take up looseness in the framing. The baseframes having been constructed, the socketcastings are then secured upon the supple mental frame and the posts secured therein. The top-plate framing having the socketcastings is then secured upon the posts, and this skeleton structure thus erected is raised in position to receive the base structure, on which it is registered by the dowel-pins. The braces, their socketcastings, and the tension-rods are then put in place and firmly set by the action of the tension-rods. Y

I construct the upper corners of the carbody with castings 36, adapted to serve as bumpers, which come into action when the train turns short curves, and thus prevent the crushing of the corners of the car top. These castings form angle-irons and are secured by nutted bolts to the top-frame parts. Each casting has an overhanging flange 37, which is rounded and forms the bumper at the corner. These corner castings serve another purpose, and that is, as abutments for supports which are used when it is desired to raise, separate, and suspend the body from the base structure to repair the car. In raising the car from its truck to give access to the base structure by means of jack-screws under each end of the bolster the supports are placed to abut under the overhanging parts of the corner castings and roof-ridge plate in the center of the car, thus sustaining the body in positionfor removing the base structure and repairing and for letting it down again upon the trucks.

Referring to the dovetailing of the posts in their socket-castings, it will be understood that I may use joint-bolts for the lower ends of these posts, the same as used for the corner posts, and when so used these nuts may be screwed upon the bolts directly against ICC) the bottom plates of the castings, as shown in Fig. 4, or the nuts may be mortised into the tenon, as shown in Fig. 8, in which case these bolts serve to draw and to hold the posts firmlyin their sockets and to secure the posts to the supplemental frame and to the castings. The posts are recessed, as at 38, (see Figs. 5 and 6,) to allow of the sliding down and removal of the socket face-plates 28 of the upper castings when it is desired to remove the posts.

From the foregoing description it will appear how the several parts may be put togother and separated. The tongue-and-groove joining of the brace and post-castings may be varied, so long as such engagements permit of their abutting relation and of the vertical adjustment of the brace-casting under the driving action of the nut of the tension-rod. It is also obvious that the provision whereby the brace and the post-castings form face-bearings upon each other may be used without their interlocking tongue-and-groove engagement.

In a patent granted to me January 2, 1392, I have described and shown a railroad-car designed for the general purpose of my present improvements. These improvements are made with special regard to a betterment of my patented car and to the attainment of a more satisfactory construction for insuring a longer life of the car and for keeping it in working condition by the facilities afforded for repair, and in the following claims I will specifically set out the parts and combinations of parts which constitute my invention.

I claim as my improvement-- 1. The combination, with the frame of the body of a railroad car, and the supplemental base-frame of the said body, of the socketcastings 22 and 27 bolted respectively to the said supplemental-frame and to the roof-plates of the body, the posts secured into said socketcastings, the socket of the upper casting being open at one side and provided with a cap-plate for-securing the post therein,whereby the said posts may be removed from said castings and replaced by new ones without removing said sockets or any of the parts with which they are connected.

2. In a railroad car, the frame of the body, comprising the supplemental base-frame, the roof-frame, the body-posts and the diagonalbraces, in combination with socket-castin gs 22 and 27 for securing the posts respectively to the si'ipplemental-frame and to the roof-plates, the socket-castings 31 upon the ends of the braces, having an abutting bearing upon an integral part of the casting 27 at the side of the post, the base sill structure, and the tension-rods 1O connecting the rooflplates, the base-sills, and the socket castings for the posts and the braces in the way and for the purpose stated.

In a railroad car, the combination of the posts, with base-castings 22 having dovetailsockets and removable face-plates 28 for said sockets, the roof-plate castings 27 having rectangular sockets and removable face-plates 28, for said sockets, the diagonal wall-braces having the socket-castings 31, the tension-rods and the nuts thereon, the said posts being secured to and made removable from said castings in the way described.

4. In a railroad car, the combination of the body-posts having the top socket-castings secured to the roof-plates, the diagonal wallbraccs, the tension-rods, their nuts, and the socket-castings on the upper ends of the braces engaging and bearing upon the post socketcastings by their vertical faces, for the purpose stated.

5. The combination, in a railroad car, of the body-posts having the top socket-castings 27 secured to the roof-plates, formed each with a depending plate 33 having a vertical groove 35, the diagonal wall-brace having a socketcasting provided with a tongue 34 engaging the groove of the post-casting, the tensionrods, and the nuts thereon, for the purpose stated.

6. The combination, in a railroad car, of the body-framing and the base-timbers, with a supplemental-frame having dowel-pins 14 engaging the intermediate base-timbers 3 at various points throughout their length, the posts and their socket-castings, the bolts 23 and 25 securing the latter to said supplemental-frame, and the bolts 24 securing the castings to the supplemental-frame and to the base-timbers, whereby the two frames are anchored together at its sides, ends and intermediate timbers.

7. The combination, in a railroad car, of the body posts and socket-castings for securing said posts to the roof-plates and to the basestructure, with the diagonal wall-braces, the tension-rods and the nuts thereon, the said braces being secured within the base-castings and provided at their upper ends with socketcastings which engage both the tension-rods and roof-plate castings, for the purpose stated.

8. The combination in a railroad car, of the top-post casting 27 and the top brace-casting 31, means for engaging the said castings which will permit of the adjustment of the brace-casting upon the post-casting, the tension-rods passing through both castings, and the nuts upon said rods for the purpose stated.

9. In a railroad car, the combination, with the body frame, of the socket-castings torsecuring the wall-posts to the roof and to the base-frames, the socket-castings for securing the upper ends of the diagonal braces, the tension-bolts passing through the several castings and connecting the roof-frame and the sill-frame, the said roof-frame castings having depending plates 33 arranged to form bearings on the sides of the posts upon which the castings of the diagonal braces abut, and are made adjustable in the way and for the purpose stated.

10. In a railroad-car, the combination, with the body and the base structures, of the socket IIO tenon being dovetailed in its socket, the j ointbolts 25 nutted in said tenon and securing together the posts, the socket-castings and the supplemental-frame, and the bolts 24 securing together the said socket-castings, the supplemental-frame and the sill-frame in the way described.

JOHN P. MAHER.

Witness es:

H. HANERTON, O. R. PARMENTIER. 

